Wood on Words: Using the wrong word? Consider yourself busted

Barry Wood

Friday

Aug 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMAug 29, 2008 at 7:13 PM

Earlier this month, the Rockford Register Star ran a story assessing certain National Football League players’ chances for success this coming season. It had the headline: “Overrated players who could earn ‘burst’ label.”

Earlier this month, the Rockford Register Star ran a story assessing certain National Football League players’ chances for success this coming season. It had the headline: “Overrated players who could earn ‘burst’ label.”

The correct noun for a failure or a flop is “bust.” “Burst” is entirely inappropriate in this context.
I think someone substituted the wrong word because “bust” has a tarred reputation — particularly as a verb. Webster’s says it was originally considered a dialectical variant of “burst,” but now it rates the “informal” label — in other words, “casual” or “colloquial.”

Let’s take a closer look at some of the uses, as listed in the dictionary, of this verb some people love to hate.

Definition 1: “to burst or break.” This is the one I find least acceptable. You don’t “bust a door down and bust into a room,” you “break” the door and “burst” into a room.

In the same vein, bones, glassware, hearts and such things are “broken,” not “busted.”
“Burst” is also better for “to be filled,” as in “bursting with pride,” not “busting.”

Definition 2: “to make penniless or bankrupt.” In this sense, “burst” doesn’t work — it’s too violent, for one thing.

This sense of “bust” also has economic tradition going for it, in the concept of the “boom and bust cycle.”

Definition 3: “to demote in rank.” Being “busted” to a lower classification is fairly common usage in the military. This is another case where “burst” won’t work, and “busted” is more colorful than “demoted.”

Definition 4: “to tame.” This also has history on its side in “broncobusting.” It can’t be “broncobursting,” because that would be literally breaking the horse — into pieces.

And when you suspect your house is haunted, who you gonna call? Surely not the “Ghostbursters.”

Definition 5: “to hit.” This is the other one that really doesn’t work for me, although it’s becoming increasingly common, as in “She busted him in the face.”

Not only does this have a slangy feel, but it’s too general. Did she punch him or slap him? Or smash him with a shovel?

Definitions 6 and 7: “to arrest” and “to make a raid on.” These uses of “bust” are fairly common in the world of law and order: “They were busted for drug use.” “It’s the third time the bar has been busted.”

This sense has gained even wider application for being caught doing something you shouldn’t, even if it isn’t illegal.

The other noun “bust” is “a piece of sculpture representing the head, shoulders and upper chest of a human body.” It also can mean “the human bosom,” especially in reference to women, but for that I recommend hands off.

In the Sherlock Holmes story “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons,” the title refers to plaster busts of the French emperor that are being broken by the villain at the crime scenes.

I wouldn’t say the busts were being busted, but the person who was breaking them got busted.

Barry Wood is a Rockfrd Register Star copy editor. Contact him at bwood@rrstar.com or read his blog at blogs.e-rockford.com/woodonwords/.